Posture
Let’s begin with posture – this is very important in giving a sense of authority to the musicians, and in terms of preventing tension and pain in your back and neck. Stand up straight with your head up and shoulders back – your head should feel as if it is on top of your spine, not in front of your body. Feet should be slightly apart, under your shoulders, with your weight balanced equally between left & right sides.
Here are some common issues to watch out for (feet position).
Before you start waving your arms around, it’s good to do a few exercises to loosen up and release any tension in your shoulders, arms and hands. The following videos show three quick routines which you might do for 30 seconds each before starting to conduct.
Posture and Balance
(allow 2-3 minutes for this activity)
Stand in front of a mirror and check your posture. Is your weight equally balanced on both feet? Are your feet under your shoulders? Now do the three exercises shown in the videos on the previous page. Once you feel you have ‘warmed up’ check your posture once more.
Helpful hints
In this exercise make sure you are:
- Keeping your arms relaxed.
- Maintaining the lower body still and grounded while opening your arms.
- Moving forward with a natural movement, keeping your back straight and arms relaxed.
